


starting over from the end

by starksnack, Withstarryeyes



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Bullying, Frenemies, Friends to Enemies to Lovers, Howard Stark's Bad Parenting, Hurt Tony Stark, Hurt/Comfort, Justin Hammer sucks, M/M, POV Tony Stark, Protective Steve Rogers, TW: Blood, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony gets punched, i think, idk - Freeform, it's only mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2020-07-10 13:17:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19906327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starksnack/pseuds/starksnack, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Withstarryeyes/pseuds/Withstarryeyes
Summary: Fic swap with withstarryeyes! She wrote the dialogue and I wrote the fic around the conversation she gave meTony Stark was not new to the ‘getting the shit kicked out of him’ club. He lay on the sticky tile by his locker, praying for death and cheeseburgers as Justin Hammer introduced his fancy Louboutin sneakers to Tony’s million-dollar smile. It was just another Thursday, he decided as the fluorescent lights blinked in and out of his vision.And there was Captain Perfect Ass here to save the day with his earnest blue eyes and coconut-sized biceps.





	starting over from the end

**Author's Note:**

> This was so much fun to write. It definitely got me back into my writing groove and I always have a fun time with C. Special thanks to wing-heads on Tumblr for the beta.

Tony Stark was not new to the ‘getting the shit kicked out of him’ club. He lay on the sticky tile by his locker, praying for death and cheeseburgers as Justin Hammer introduced his fancy Louboutin sneakers to Tony’s million-dollar smile. It was just another Thursday he decided as the fluorescent lights blinked in and out of his vision.

“Dude, what the fuck? Get away from him.”

And there was Captain Perfect ~~Ass~~ here to save the day with his earnest blue eyes and coconut-sized biceps. With hair spun of gold like Midas had felt his head up, Steve Rogers yanked Hammer away from Tony, dark brows pulled over his stormy eyes.

“It’s fine!” Tony rolled his eyes, flopping onto his front to push himself up. If Hammer didn’t beat the crap out of him now, he would just come by and do it later. Tony didn’t have time in his plans to reschedule his weekly bullying. There were no fucks left to give. “Just leave it.”

Hammer was just upset that Howard had recently scored a military contract for Stark Enterprises that Hammer Industries had been gunning for. He’d probably get over it within the week and find something else to beat Tony up for. It was a dance that Tony had long since gotten used to considering Hammer’s parents could pay off the school, and Howard didn’t care enough to get involved in Tony’s life.

“You heard the nerd,” Hammer sneered, brave enough to go toe to toe with an absolute unit like Steve. Even Tony didn’t have the balls to face the peak of male perfection. “Just leave it.”

But of course, Mr. Big Blond and Busty refused to relocate himself and his massive rack. Tony sighed, pulling himself to his feet just as Steve was pointedly saying, “I will not just leave it, move away before I make you.”

Wrong thing to say. Tony leaned against his locker, recognizing the fury in Steve’s eyes. He’d had that look directed at him once upon a time. He grabbed his mechanical physics textbook out of his locker, slamming the door shut with a resounding crack that had both Steve and Hammer looking up.

Quick to get back to intimidation mode, Hammer balled his hands into fists, thumb on the inside. Maybe those weak punches would work on a runt like Tony but on someone as bulky as Steve? Hammer was about to end up in the ER with broken bones and split knuckles. Karma was a bitch.

“You’re gonna make me leave?” He taunted before turning and thumping Tony in the chest in what looked passably amicable. “We’re friends, right nerd?”

Tony crossed his arms over his chest, pain pulling at his abdomen. He was sure to have a painting of purpling bruises across his pale skin tonight, but he didn’t need Steve fighting his battles for him. They hadn’t been on the same side for a long time. “Right.”

Steve, always quick to be the righteous asshole in the room, planted himself like a tree and stood his ground. “I said leave.”

“Fine.” Hammer rolled his eyes, shooting Tony a dirty look that promised more pain later. Great, maybe Bruce would let him hide out in the supply closet he used as a panic room for the rest of the week. Tony blew Hammer a sarcastic kiss as the asshole left with a “bye, dweebs.”

Steve turned to watch him go and Tony took that as a cue to turn the corner while he was distracted and sprint down the hall. The last thing he wanted to do was talk to Steve Rogers, the asshole that broke his heart just as senior year was starting. They were so close to graduating and then Tony could avoid his perfect ass like nobody’s business from the comfort of his dorm room at MIT.

The squeaking of shoes down the hall told Tony that Steve was in hot pursuit, but like a gazelle fearing for its life and delicate feelings, Tony sprinted down the hall fearing for his life and delicate feelings. He turned a corner into the stairwell, headed to the parking lot where his car was haphazardly parked in the back of the lot.

Shit, the exterior door was locked. It was part of Principal Fury’s new initiative to cut down on smoking. What a Debbie Downer. Tony thumped his head against the metal door as Steve slowed to a stop beside him.

Double shit. The stairwell was empty. If Steve really were here to break his heart a second time, there would be no one to hear Tony’s screams as he died of embarrassment. It was probably for the best, he was told his screams resembled that of a dying bus fighting a chain-smoking leaf blower.

“Are you hurt?” Concern was not what he expected, but it was better than an all-out yelling match. Tony took a deep breath, trying to slow his breathing as he really thought about if he was hurt or not.

There was a lot to be hurt about. Justin Hammer using him as a punching bag, Steve breaking his heart eight months ago, the impending end of life on earth as they marched closer to oblivion. Tony shrugged. It could be worse, at least he was here, in high school. “Doesn’t matter.”

“Alright, well,” Steve scratched the back of his neck, a hopeful smile playing at the corners of his mouth. Tony immediately beat down the butterflies fluttering in his rib cage with a bug zapper. “I have to meet Nat. Would you like to join?”

“Uh… no.” Nat was one of the friends Tony convinced himself he didn’t want to keep in touch with after Steve left him in the dust to pursue popularity and football. Tony didn’t want to be tempted to ask their mutual friends about how Steve was doing so the only person he didn’t push away, on pain of death, was his science bro, Brucie-bear. “I don’t think it would be a good idea. But would you tell her I said hi?”

“No,” Steve said firmly and Tony resisted the urge to flinch back. With a firm hand around his wrist, Steve led him out of the stairwell and further away from freedom. Tony resisted the urge to let out a sad sigh. “But if you come with, you can tell her yourself.”

Tony frowned. This almost seemed like an olive branch. He wiped his wet mouth, feeling a twinge of pain as his fingers came away bloody. He had to look like an absolute mess. “I can’t stay long.”

“Didn’t expect you to.” Steve smiled, blue eyes bright as the sky and deep as the ocean as he passed a glance down Tony’s body. It wasn’t the kind of checking out that Tony wanted though. Steve was looking for injuries. “Are you sure you aren’t hurt?”

“It’s not anything I can’t handle,” Tony shrugged. He passed a hand across his stomach without wincing. He deserved an Oscar for that alone, Hammer was brutal when he was jealous.

“If I take you to meet Nat and you’re bleeding like that she’s gonna think I caused it.” Steve eyed Tony’s split lip pointedly, digging a tissue out of his bookbag. “Can I?”

Wiping blood off his lip was a surprisingly intimate move. Wasn’t Steve worried he would catch cooties or some immature bullshit like that? Tony hesitated, waiting for the punchline. “...Alright?”

“You’ll let me know if I hurt you?” Steve had an earnest expression written across his features, so Tony decided that maybe his ex-best friend wasn’t out to get him today.

“Sure.” Tony sat down at a bench by the bathrooms and Steve sat beside him. He was silent as Steve carefully wiped the blood off his chin, focused in a way Tony had never seen him before. Without warning, Steve grabbed the hem of his shirt and before Tony could stop him, his AC/DC graphic tee was being lifted to expose his bruised midsection. Steve made an angry noise, almost like a growl, in the back of his throat as he splayed a hand across the hard ridges of Tony’s stomach. “Who was that guy?”

Tony ignored the way Steve was feeling him up, too tired to fight and make a sexual innuendo that would surely have Steve running for the hills. “Didn’t you hear him? A friend.”

Steve’s brows were pulled together, blue eyes almost black with fury as he fixed Tony with a hard glare. “He’s not your friend.”

“No shit…” Tony rolled his eyes, painfully yanking his shirt away from Steve’s grip. He stood up before Steve could reach for him again. “But he’s not much of a bother. I mean, he’s not usually that bad.”

Steve rose to his feet, heading down the hall. He got a couple of steps away, before turning and gesturing for Tony to follow. With nothing better to do, Tony complied, running down the hallway to catch up. Steve’s voice was dark as he asked, “What’s he usually like? Too dumb to hit a moving object?”

“Nah,” Tony shrugged nonchalantly as Steve pulled open the door to the Sports Med room. “Just too large to catch me.”

Steve nodded, grabbing a plastic bag off a shelf and filling it with ice. Dispensing a handful of paper towels, Steve held it to Tony’s stomach, careful not to press too hard and hurt Tony further. They sat together in the comfortable silence of the classroom, looking out the window together at the cars in the parking lot.

Steve smelled the same as always, like Irish soap, bike polish, and the American dream. Sitting in the empty class with him, Tony was reminded of that time they hid in an empty classroom for hours, hiding from their friends and an aggressive game of Would You Rather? They had spent hours sitting together, talking about nothing. The sports on tv, the recent bumfuck election, their futures.

Clearly, Steve’s mind was on the same train of thought because mumbled words were falling past his lips, almost too scared to break the comfortable silence. “I... don’t you miss this?”

“What, getting beat up?” Tony asked sarcastically. Steve was the one who threw their friendship away. All because he got beefy and decided he was too good to hang out with a fairy like Tony.

“No..” Steve’s perfect brow furrowed in frustration as he tried to get all his thoughts together. Tony knew the feeling. “Us getting along. Not having it be so hard all the time to just…”

“Get ourselves into trouble?” Tony suggested, just to be an insufferable asshole. It was nothing compared to how shitty Steve had made him feel.

“Forget it,” Steve sighed, frustrated as he looked toward the door.

“No!” Tony could swallow his pride enough to admit he missed Steve. Missed their late-night adventures in the woods, missed skinny dipping at the community center after hours, missed pizza picnics in the park and truth or dare, and sharing cotton candy at Coney Island. He missed Steve so fucking much it hurt. “I mean, uh, yeah; I miss this. A lot.”

“Does this mean you forgive me?” Steve’s voice was quiet, tentative in a way that Tony had never heard as he looked up at Tony with the biggest puppy dog eyes.

Tony cocked an eyebrow. “Is that an apology?” As far as apologies went, Steve honestly could have done a little bit better. Though Tony had already forgiven him. Probably since the moment he stepped up and stood up for him against Hammer.

“No,” Steve stumbled over his words, an admittedly adorable blush spreading across his face as he looked up at Tony through dark blond lashes. “I mean kinda. But there’ll be more.”

Tony grinned at Steve, bright as the sun, heart swelling as Steve hesitated before smiling back at him, just as happy.

“It means… maybe I’m willing to see what the apology is.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come chat with me on [tumblr](https://starksnack.tumblr.com/) and [twitter](https://www.twitter.com/starksnack/).


End file.
